"Other" (non-Rohloff) hub gears

[peter jenkins]

Note from Dan: Before this topic split, Geocycle posted...

I also bought one of the alfine RSTs

Hi Geocycle,

I'd be interested (and so will others) in your opinion of the Alfine. I'm considering converting one of my wife's bikes to hub gears and am thinking Alfine 11.

Purely coincidentally, a fellow Moultoneer has asked me to bike sit for a few weeks a Moulton TSR retrofitted with a Rohloff. I expect it will be a very good reintroduction to an IGH after so many years but not something I could justify buying. I'm sure I will enjoy it while it lasts.

Regards,

pj

[Danneaux]

Hi Peter!

I'd like to hear more about Alfine IGH in daily use as well.

Please, could you in turn share your impressions of the Rohloff after you complete your bike-sitting of the Moulton? Though on a different platform than what we're used to, it might be valuable for prospective owners of Thorn Rohloff-equipped bikes to read your impressions where you will come to it from recent derailleur experience.

Sounds like Great Fun ahead for you! Moultons are nifty little bikes, indeed!

All the best,

Dan.

[martinf]

I'd like to hear more about Alfine IGH in daily use as well.

Maybe best to move to a new thread, perhaps "Other hub gears" ?

I fitted a Nexus 8 Premium on one of my bikes in May 2012. Its not an Alfine, but the internals are supposed be very similar.

I chose 8-speed rather than the Alfine 11 because the 8-speed series has been around for several years and is reckoned to be reasonably reliable. I reckoned the more recent Alfine 11 was more likely to have teething problems.

Shimano make 3 types of 8-speed internal. The Nexus Premium is supposed to have better bearings than the base model Nexus in some of the internal parts. As far as I was able to find out there is very little difference in terms of efficiency between the Premium and the Alfine, main difference appears to be the possibilty of fitting a disc brake and better finish on the Alfine. In V-brake version, the Nexus Premium is very slightly lighter than the Alfine. And substantially cheaper, so less of a loss if the utility bike gets stolen.

8-speed range is 306%. I spin with 150 mm cranks) and don't really need big gears, so I've geared it fairly low, with a 44T chainring and 24T rear sprocket.

This gives a range of 25" to 76", which has been sufficient for local use, including hauling up to 80 Kg of trailer plus cargo.

Compared to Rohloff, gear change is slicker. I got the Alfine 8 Rapidfire shifter, which is supposed to be more accurate than the basic twist-grip (gear change depends on the shifter indexing, not at the hub as with a Rohloff).

So far, only about 1800 kms. It has been reliable. As far as maintenance goes, I took the internal out several months ago, washed out as much of the original grease as possible, regreased with the special Shimano internal grease and (voiding any warranties) also added a small amount of automatic transmission fluid. I packed a slightly stiffer marine grease in the side bearings to reduce the possibility of water getting in.

Hub seemed quite efficient even when new, but seems slightly better since the cleaning/relubrication (hub gears usually improve anyway after a running in period, so it might not be the relubrication).

On my test rides when new (not run in), there was very little difference between the Nexus 8 Premium and the former 21-speed derailleur system I had on the bike.   

[Danneaux]

Maybe best to move to a new thread, perhaps "Other hub gears" ?

That's a great idea, Martin; done.

Best,

Dan.

[peter jenkins]

Please, could you in turn share your impressions of the Rohloff after you complete your bike-sitting of the Moulton? Though on a different platform than what we're used to, it might be valuable for prospective owners of Thorn Rohloff-equipped bikes to read your impressions where you will come to it from recent derailleur experience.

Hi Dan,

I will indeed.

It should provide a good comparison as my own Moulton is a TSR 30 (30 denotes a 10 spd triple) fitted with Campagnolo Centaur/Chorus and the Rohloff version was also a TSR 30 prior to the conversion. I s'pose it's a TSR14 now?

All the best,

pj (of the little wheels)

[geocycle]

Hi Peter, I'm not going to be able to help as I decided to not ride the alfine hub.  I transferred the rohloff across straight away and I will be selling the wheels as brand new, never ridden.  I'll be posting these, and the used RT frame, in the next day or so when I've taken some pictures.  I can say that the alfine looks great and the trigger shifter is very neat.

[Andre Jute]

Incidentally, a fellow Moultoneer has asked me to bike sit for a few weeks a Moulton TSR retrofitted with a Rohloff. I expect it will be a very good reintroduction to an IGH after so many years but not something I could justify buying. I'm sure I will enjoy it while it lasts.

You're living dangerously, Peter; your wallet is cringing already. I wouldn't ride that Rohloff if I were you. For such an apparently agricultural piece of equipment, it is insidiously seductive. When you have to give the bike back, you'll find excuses to keep it just another day. And another. When the owner recovers it, you will lie awake nights plotting to buy a bike with a Rohloff.

It was nice knowing you when you were still sane.

[peter jenkins]

When the owner recovers it, you will lie awake nights plotting to buy a bike with a Rohloff.

It has actually occurred to me that the owner may be hoping I will make an offer....

A case of "be afraid... be very afraid"  And I am.

The only thing that may save me is a planned trip to the UK for 6 months commencing in April. I will be able to say I have no money to spare without stretching the truth.

Cheers,

pj

[Pavel]

I had a moulton TSR14 which I sold about four months ago.  It was too much of a franken-bike.  I hated the arm and compared to the Rolhoff system on the Nomad; it was too ungainly in the details.  Just did not have that overall well thought out and integrated feeling and I'm glad to be rid of it.

[RobertL]

Coming up on four years (plus) and 11,000 miles on my Alfine 8 - just commuting duties, with some sharp, short hills. 42/18 and rapid shifter set up on an RST. Its had two/three lube/services. Set up is straightforward, and cabling was changed at 10,000 miles.

The granny gear at 32 gain inches may not be up to serious touring loads, but for commuting purposes it is hardly ever used.

I treat it cautiously, carefully un-weighting, coasting, pedalling one revolution backwards, when changing gears. Am trying to get my cadence up, without pedal straps or clipping in, but on the flat probably am around 70-80 RPM, 50-60 RPM on hills. As part of improving the RPM am now tending to use 5th (direct gear - ca. 60 gain inches) and 6th (ca. 72 gain inches) more, with 7th used with a tail wind, and 8th downhill. Hills am using 2nd and 3rd.

I like to think it would stand up to the rigours of light load, long distance touring (Cartagena to Ushuaia is always on the wish list).

[martinf]

I like to think it would stand up to the rigours of light load, long distance touring (Cartagena to Ushuaia is always on the wish list).

I'd trust a Nexus 8 Premium on a flattish European long-distance tour, for example the EuroVelo 6 Loire-Rhine-Danube cycle route that links the Atlantic to the Black Sea. This is about 3,600 kms one-way.

Especially if doing the route one-way only, which might be necessary so as not to spend too much time away from home.

I could set up an old mountain bike with a used Nexus 8 Premium and used mid-range Shimano generator hub, and, rather than having the hassle of bike transport across several European countries, sell or donate the bike at the Black Sea end before returning relatively cheaply by coach.

For the Netherlands, I'd actually prefer to use the old 5-speed hub gear bike I currently use for survey work. From where I live it is relatively easy to put a bike on a high-speed train as far as Brussels, which would do me as a starting point for a tour of the Netherlands. Bike has to be part-dismantled and bagged, but this would be OK as I can avoid Paris and only have to lug the bagged bike from one station platform to another at Lille. The Lorient-Brussels trip takes about 8 hours, and I now qualify for a senior citizen's railcard, so the train is a quick and fairly cheap option that would be viable for a week or 10 days touring.

For this kind of tour, where I don't need the wide range of one of my Rohloff bikes, using a low-value old bike has the advantage that I would worry less about it getting stolen.

[martinf]

I now have four Shimano 8-speed hubs in service, one on my Thorn Raven utility bike, another on my wife's Thorn Raven Step Through, and on the two visitor bikes I keep at our island flat.

All these hubs are the Premium version, one step down from Alfine 8, but with similar internals that are a bit more efficient than the basic Nexus 8. They are currently available from SJSC at a very good price (£70 for the hub only without fitting kit and shifter), so are a cheap option for bikes where low maintenance and simplicity of use are important.

 

[il padrone]

Vera, on a Nexus 8 riding the gravel climb from the Bay of Fires, east coast of Tasmania. She did have to push it up the 20% climb but so did quite a few others.